◆Exhibition game: Rakuten Eagles vs. Seibu Lions (18th, Belluna Dome)

Seibu Lions Lions pitcher Chihiro Sumida, who participated in the World Baseball Classic, rejoined the team for pre-game practice on the 18th.

He returned to Japan on the 16th, took a day off, and restarted his training on this day. "I've already landed as a member of The Lions. Naturally. After all, I'm a The Lions player," he said on the plane, having shifted his mindset, before stepping onto Belluna Dome for the first time in a while.

He said he wasn't jet-lagged, and after playing catch that day, he entered bullpen with an NPB ball in hand. "I felt really uncomfortable with the Japanese ball, so I wanted to adjust to that as quickly as possible. Also, after the WBC, I saw so many amazing players, and I realized I still have a long way to go. I wanted to become a world-class pitcher as soon as possible," he said, as he silently threw his pitches.

The left-hander reflected on his experience at the WBC, saying, "I was able to experience things that would have been unthinkable five years ago (when I turned pro). With his sights set on the season opener, he plans to pitch during the remaining open games to make adjustments and look ahead, saying, "I would like to participate again when I pitcher can go out and take on the world.